Geography

Facts about mount Kilimanjaro

16 mount Kilimanjaro facts

The White Roof of Africa - a majestic African volcano

Approximately 50,000 people make the trek to Africa's highest mountain each year. This solitary massif rises to an altitude of 5895 meters and is located in Tanzania's Kilimanjaro National Park, on the border with Kenya. 
The name Kilimanjaro is shared by three volcanoes in the massif, which stretches for about 80 km. Only one of the volcanoes is active. Its crater contains the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak. 

According to local tribal beliefs, Kilimanjaro is the mountain of spirits and demands respect and prayers. 

Mount Kilimanjaro
1
Kilimanjaro has three peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi, Shira, which are the remains of three volcanoes.

The highest - Kibo (5895 m), followed by Mawenzi (5149 m) and Shira (3987 m).

2
Kilimanjaro is a volcanic peak that is not extinct, but dormant.

The volcano last erupted in the 1940s. The largest eruption took place three hundred and sixty thousand years ago and destroyed everything within a radius of many kilometers.

3
The diameter of the crater in which the highest peak of Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak) is located is about 8 km.
4
The mountain's peaks are covered with a snow and ice cap estimated to be about 12,000 years old.
5
Unfortunately, the glacier on Kilimanjaro is melting; since 1912, 82% of the glacier has disappeared.

The area of the glacier at the beginning of the 20th century was about 12 square kilometers, now it is five times smaller. Tanzania's glaciers supply part of the country's water system, and their disappearance will cause catastrophic changes in agriculture and the economy as a whole.

6
Kilimanjaro is home to several ecological systems.

In the foothills you will find cultivated fields, more distant savannas, sparse dry forests, montane forests - dense evergreens, shrubs, mountain meadows and perpetual snow.

7
Africa's highest forest is growing at Kilimanjaro.

At an altitude of 4,100 meters, there are forests of subtropical floor heather, which are the highest forests in Africa.

8
Kilimanjaro is located in Central Africa and as such there are two seasons: dry and rainy.

The rainy season is divided into long rains (from April to June) and short rains (from October to December).

9
During the trek to Kilimanjaro, there is a significant difference in temperature.

From hot in the foothills to very cold at the summit. Temperatures can drop to -15 °C (5 °F) at night.

10
The peak was first climbed in 1889.

It took about six weeks to reach the summit, today it takes 5-6 days.

11
At the top of Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak) there is a book in a wooden box where climbers can write their entry.
12
Only about 25% of people who climb Kilimanjaro reach the summit.

The most common reasons are lack of acclimatization and altitude sickness, which most people suffer from above 4,000 meters.

13
The youngest person to reach the summit is a six-year-old boy from USA.

Coltan Tanner is currently the youngest person to climb Kilimanjaro. He reached the summit in 2006.

14
There are seven official routes on Kilimanjaro.

Six are for ascent, the seventh is for descent only. 

15
The tallest tree in Africa was discovered on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2016.

A representative of the species Entandrophragma excelsum, found in one of the valleys, is 81.5 meters high.

16
Kilimanjaro National Park has its own airport.

It serves about 20,000 passengers per year.

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